Needs Assessment

[Pages:3]Needs Assessment

Needs assessment is the process of examining what learners know, and identifying what they want or need to learn. Adult learners' needs are best served when their past experiences and achievements are acknowledged and used as a vehicle for encouraging learning. Needs assessment is most beneficial if conducted on an ongoing basis: at the beginning of the program to determine what learners bring with them and what they need to learn; during the program to identify what they have achieved and what they would like to learn next; and at the end of the program to help learners with future plans. While needs assessments provide a sense of direction for the program, they also make instructors aware of the ongoing and changing needs of learners at any time during the program. In assessing learners' needs, a variety of methods can be considered. Below is a list of possible methods for conducting needs assessments. This list is not exhaustive and instructors are encouraged to explore and experiment to find out which methods suit their learners best. While some methods are appropriate for initial assessment (surveys and questionnaires), others are more appropriate for ongoing assessment (class/group discussions).

Assessment Method

Picture Cards

Procedure

? Learners select pictures representing their daily activities to determine what they need to learn in class. See Sample Needs Assessment 1: Picture Cards

Surveys and Questionnaires

? Learners answer questions about their life and learning goals. See Sample Needs Assessment 2: Questionnaire

Short Answer Questions e.g., multiple choice

Extended-Answer Questions e.g., essays and reports Review of Reading Materials Class/Group Discussions

? Learners answer multiple-choice questions relating to a specific topic or skill area. E.g., When I am listening to a tape, I usually: 1. prefer to see the text on the blackboard or as a handout 2. have no difficulty understanding the main idea 3. find it difficult to follow unless repeated more than once

? Learners describe topics they would and would not like to study by answering questions and giving reasons

? Learners look at different types of reading texts (e.g., news articles, memos, catalogues, greeting cards, newspapers) and decide which they would like to study in class

? Learners discuss their interests using a list of topics in groups

Personal Journals

? Learners keep a personal journal about their daily life, personal thoughts and experiences, and future plans

? Learners write about problems they experience with English by completing a chart with headings: when, where, with whom, about what, and the problem

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LINC Curriculum Guidelines

Planning

Sample Needs Assessment 1: PICTURE CARDS

This is a useful method for assessing low-level learners. The instructor shows a series of photographs or drawings that represent different real-life situations such as going to the bank, shopping at the supermarket, going to school, or visiting a social service agency. Learners can sort the pictures in the order in which they would like to learn the theme or topic and omit any that are not of interest to them.

Education

Jobs

Government Services

Health

Canada

Canadian Culture

Relationships

Banking

Police

Housing

Shopping

Transportation

LINC 1-5

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Sample Needs Assessment 2: QUESTIONNAIRE

Personal Information

Name:

Date: _____________________ What country are you from? ____________________ When did you come to Canada ?__________________

Language Did you study English before you came to Canada? Did you study English in Canada before coming to this school?

o yes o no o yes o no

Which of your skills do you think is the best: o reading o writing o speaking o listening Which of your skills do you think is the worst: o reading o writing o speaking o listening

In which situations outside school do you use English?

o bank

o doctor's office

o supermarket

o job

o child's school

o bus and subway o with landlord

o stores

o with neighbours o at home

o government and other offices

o using a computer and the Internet

o other: _________________________________________________________

Which activities do you enjoy in an ESL class?

o working in groups

o class discussions

o using a computer

o dictations

o listening to the news

o reading the newspaper

o watching movies

o writing exercises

o working with a partner o grammar exercises o vocabulary games

Work Experience What job(s) did you have before coming to Canada? ___________________________________________ If you are working now, what job do you have? _______________________________________________ If you have ever worked in Canada, what jobs did you have? ____________________________________ Are you looking for work now? o yes o no

Future Goals What do you hope to learn in this class? ____________________________________________________ What do you want to do after you finish this program? Check one or two of the following and give more details on the line beside your choice: o work (What kind of job?) _____________________________________________________________ o start your own business (What type of business?) ___________________________________________ o go to high school, college, or university (What subject?) ______________________________________ o take a job training course (What field?) ___________________________________________________ o be a homemaker

o other (Give details)

26 Planning

LINC Curriculum Guidelines

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